Nunavut 07/30/15 cbc.ca: Health officials are warning people in Rankin Inlet who recently ate raw walrus meat, saying some meat has tested positive for trichinella — the parasitic worm that can give people trichinosis. Symptoms include stomach pain, muscle pain, diarrhea, swollen eyelids, sweating and weakness. If you’ve eaten uncooked walrus, and are having any of these symptoms, contact the local health centre. The health department reminds hunters to get walrus meat tested for trichinella. And if someone gives you walrus meat, ask if it has been tested. – See http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/rankin-inlet-walrus-meat-tests-positive-for-trichinella-1.3173547

TULAREMIA (RABBIT FEVER):

South Dakota 07/28/15 SD Dept of Health: Media Release – A state health official says tularemia is on the rise, with seven cases reported in the BlackHillsarea since June. “Tularemia is a fairly uncommon but potentially severe disease that can be fatal,” said Dr. Lon Kightlinger, state epidemiologist for the Department of Health. “People can be exposed when they come in contact with infected insects and animals, particularlyrabbits, rodents and cats.” Six of South Dakota’s cases were adults over the age of 50 and one was a child under 5. Five of the seven were hospitalized. Kightlinger noted that one of the cases had direct contact with a pet cat that tested positive for tularemia. Sometimes called rabbit fever, tularemia most commonly results in a sore developing where the bacteria enter the body, accompanied by swelling of the lymph nodes. In severe cases, it can cause fever and a pneumonia-like illness, which can be fatal. – For complete release see http://news.sd.gov/newsitem.aspx?id=18043

Colorado 07/28/15 Weld County Dept of Public Health: Media Release – Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, has sickened five Weld County men. The distribution in age is 56 to 80 and includes a wide dispersal throughout the county, including the municipalities of Greeley, Erie, LaSalle, Milliken, and Longmont. Of the five men, two were hospitalized and three recovered at home. One man remains hospitalized, but is in stable condition. The men were most likely exposed to tularemia while mowing or working in their yards. “This is a rare disease and to have five cases so far this year is highly unusual,” said Dr. Mark E. Wallace, MD MPH, Executive Director of the Weld County Health Department. “In an average year we have zero cases, last year we had one case.” Statewide, Colorado currently has 16 human cases, and in an average year there are less than 4 cases. – For complete release see http://www.co.weld.co.us/assets/49d8bD3600B24A786D2C.pdf

Global 07/30/15 pennlive.com: by Carolyn Kimmel – Dr. John Goldman, infectious disease specialist with PinnacleHealth System in Harrisburg (PA), said people need to remember that Lyme disease can have different symptoms, ranging from the classic bull’s eye rash to a different kind of rash or flu-like symptoms . . . The incidence of Lymecarditis is small – only about 5 to 10 percent of Lyme cases – and usually begins four to six weeks after the initial illness, Goldman said. “It is an unusual presentation of Lyme disease, but it’s usually caught before it gets to a complete heart block,” he said. “The thing about Lyme disease is that it can present very non-specifically, with a classic bull’s eye rash or a different rash or flu-like symptoms or no symptoms.” Lyme carditis can be very dangerous because if people progress to a complete heart block, their blood pressure may go too low or they may suddenly faint, perhaps while driving or doing some other activity, Goldman said. “Doctors do need to have a higher index of suspicion when a young person comes in with unusual heart symptoms. They should be checking for Lyme,” Dr. Michael Smith, a cardiologist with PinnacleHealth Cardiology in Wormleysburg (PA) said. – For complete article see http://www.pennlive.com/bodyandmind/index.ssf/2015/07/when_a_young_person_suddenly_d.html

EBOLA VACCINE:

Global 07/31/15 cnn.com: by Laura Smith-Spark – A newly developed vaccine against the deadly Ebola virus is “highly effective” and could help prevent its spread in the current and future outbreaks, the World Health Organization said Friday. Trials of the single-dose VSV-EBOV vaccine began in March in Guinea — one of three West African nations at the center of the recent outbreak — and have shown such promise that this week it was decided to extend immediate vaccination to “all people at risk” after close contact with an infected person, a WHO statement said. “This is an extremely promising development,” said Dr. Margaret Chan, the body’s director-general. “The credit goes to the Guinean government, the people living in the communities and our partners in this project. An effective vaccine will be another very important tool for both current and future Ebola outbreaks.” More research is needed, but the results so far on this trial show 100% efficacy. – For complete article see http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/31/health/guinea-ebola-vaccine/index.html

South Carolina 07/28/15 Lexington County: A dog from the Monticello Road area of northwest Columbia with evidence of healed wounds around its neck was given to an adoption agency in the Irmo area by animal control. The dog was later placed into foster care in the Gaston area. During the course of its care, the dog bit two people and exposed two others. This dog has since tested positive for rabies. – See http://counton2.com/2015/07/28/dog-expose-four-to-rabies-in-lexington-county/

Quebec 10/22/13 cbc.ca/news: Health officials are reporting an outbreak of trichinosis in Inukjuak. Since early October, about 15 people have exhibited symptoms of the illness caused by a parasite sometimes found in the raw meat of animals Including walrus and polar bear. No official source of the outbreak has been identified but the health department is investigating. In the meantime they are advising people to fully cook their meat to kill the parasite before consuming it. – http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/trichinosis-outbreak-in-inukjuak-que-1.2187320

(See Three COYOTES attack COLORADAN walking to work – posted October 17, 2013)

Colorado 10/23/13 thedenverchannel.com/news: by Deb Stanley – Three coyotes that attacked a man in Niwot last week have tested negative for rabies. Andrew Dickehage said he was walking before sunrise when he heard what he thought was a bunny rustling in a bush, but when he turned his flashlight on a nearby bush, he was attacked. “I shined the flashlight and before I could finish turning and pointing it at the brush, that’s when the initial impact happened,” Dickehage said. “At that point, I felt severe agony throughout my hand and I looked down and it [the coyote] wouldn’t let go.” Dickehage said as he was fighting off the first coyote with his flashlight, the other two attacked. He managed to stay on his feet until the attack stop and the coyotes ran off. – For complete article see http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/wildlife-officials-coyotes-that-attacked-niwot-man-did-not-have-rabies

Louisiana 10/18/13 LA Dept of Health: Officials have confirmed the state’s third WNV-related death this year. The report is from Rapides Parish, and is the second death this year from Rapides Parish. In addition, the health department is also confirming three new WNV human cases this week, bringing this year’s total number of cases to 51. This week’s new infections include two cases of neuro-invasive disease in Lafayette Parish and one case of neuro-invasive in Ouachita Parish. – See http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/2899

Mississippi 10/21/13 MS Dept of Health: Officials have confirmed three new humancases of WNV for 2013. The cases were reported in Forrest, Lamar, and Rankincounties, bringing the state total for 2013 to 43 human cases, including two deaths. – For locations of all other cases and other information see http://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/23,14422,341.html

Iowa 10/19/13 Washington County: Police in the town of Washington are searching for a dog they say bit a person late last week. Officers received a report of the incident just before 9 p.m. Friday and they’re searching for a brown dog that resembles a pit bull. Authorities need to find the dog to ensure its rabies vaccination is current otherwise the person bitten will have to undergo a series of rabies shots. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 319-653-2107. – See http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/49d604c98fd64594b1628d8bbfdbb719/IA–Search-for-Dog

National 07/29/13: Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects both animals and humans, and it’s more prevalent this year because of heavier rain. There are about 100 strains that are recognized, but most vets vaccinate for the four most common in the U.S. The bacteria are spread through the urine of infected hosts, which can get into water or soil and can survive there for weeks to months. Many different wild and domestic animals carry the disease. Humans can become infected through contact with the urine or other body fluids, but not saliva, of infected animals, or through contact with water, soil, or food contaminated with the urine of infected animals. The bacteria can enter the body through skin or mucous (eyes, nose, or mouth) membranes, especially if the skin is broken from a cut or scratch. Drinking contaminated water can also cause infection. Person to person transmission is rare. In humans, leptospirosis can cause a wide range of flu-like symptoms and lasts from a few days to 3 or more weeks. Without treatment, recovery may take several months. Leptospirosis is an occupational hazard for many who work outdoors or with animals, and it has been associated with recreational activities in contaminated lakes and rivers. According to a recent article in The Blade of Toledo by Tanya Irwin, the disease is endemic in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.– For Tanya Irwin’s article see http://www.toledoblade.com/Medical/2013/07/29/Flulike-bacteria-sickens-people-and-pets-alike.html and for more information about Leptospirosis see http://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/index.html

Trichinosis:

Canada:

Ontario 07/26/13 owensoundsuntimes.com: by Tracey Richardson – A Bruce County child has had the extremely rare distinction of acquiring trichinosisfrom pork — something that was thought to have been eradicated from the province for decades. Trichinosis is caused by small roundworms of the trichinella species. Infective larvae are transferred by the consumption of raw or undercooked infected meat. The problem was most prevalent in swine until government regulations and inspections clamped down on the industry. The last swine outbreak in Ontario happened in 1977. Until this January, the last human case of trichinosis associated with the consumption of infected domestic pork occurred in 1980. There was an outbreak in Ontario in 1993 among a couple of dozen people who’d eaten smoked wild boar meat. Nowadays, trichinosis is usually confined to meat from wild animals. . . . .

The Bruce County case happened in January this year at a Mennonite farm, said Grey Bruce medical officer of health Dr. Hazel Lynn. The farm was non-commercial and the pig was slaughtered and consumed on the farm. No part of the animal ever entered the commercial food supply. News of the case was mentioned in passing at the public health board’s monthly meeting Friday. Lynn said the child was diagnosed by an “astute” pediatrician in London, although the child recovered without treatment. Lynn said when the farmer acquired the piglet, it was free of trichinella. “So it happened between being a tiny piglet and growing up to be slaughtered,” she said. “However their animal husbandry on the farm was pretty old style, so anything left over got fed to the pigs. Now if you cook it all, it’s OK. But also there were rats around, which many barns have, whether or not they’re well looked after, and that’s probably where this pig got it.” It’s believed the child consumed infected smoked ham or sausage from the infected pig. Smoking the meat does not heat it to a high enough temperature to kill the larvae. The CFIA recommends cooking all wild game meat, pork and horse meat to an internal temperature of at least 71 degrees C. – For complete article see http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/2013/07/26/rare-trichinosis-happened-on-bruce-county-farm

California 07/27/13 Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District: GLACVCD has confirmed more WNV positive test results in 25 mosquito samples and three dead birds collected throughout its jurisdiction. This is the first sign of virus activity this year in Burbank, Elysian Valley, Encino, Granada Hills, North Hills, Santa Clarita and Watts. Please refer to chart for a breakdown of the latest WNV activity. – For article and chart see http://hometownstation.com/santa-clarita-news/west-nile-virus-has-been-found-mosquito-scv-36585

North Carolina 07/26/13 Wake County: A fox that came in contact with a resident of the 1000 block of Valleystone Drive in Cary on Thursday has tested positive for rabies. A Rabies Alert has been issued for those living in the vicinity of the High House Road and Davis Drive intersection. – For map of the area see http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=9186608

Follow-Up Report:

(See – Officials fear a “large number” of people in TIVERTON, RHODE ISLAND, may have been exposed to RABIES – posted July 27, 2013)

Rhode Island 07/27/13 providencejournal.com: by Felice J. Freyer: Laboratory testshave ruled out rabies as the cause of a brown calf’s death on Friday, the second of two calves that died near a Tiverton ice cream shop. But it still isn’t known what killed the brown calf. And the Health Department’s advice remains the same for people who came in contact with the black-and-white calf that died July 21 in the same pasture, next to Gray’s Ice Cream shop. People who came in contact with that calf, known as Oreo, between July 5 and July 21 should call the Health Department at (401) 222-2577 to find out if they should receive rabies shots. Oreo died six days after biting a child, but word of its death did not reach authorities in time to test the calf for rabies. Rabies remains a possibility for Oreo. Oreo was removed from direct public contact on July 16, and only the animal’s handlers may have been exposed from July 16 through July 21. There is no risk of rabies for those who came in contact with the calf before July 5. – For complete article see http://www.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/content/20130727-r.i.-health-department-rules-out-rabies-in-death-of-second-tiverton-calf.ece

Alaska 10/25/12 adn.com: by Michelle Theriault Boots – The black bear meat tasted delicious. Sean Sullivan didn’t know it would give him trichinosis. “Like the best steak you’ve ever had,” said the 32-year-old oil platform worker from Nikiski. It was early summer and Sullivan was at his remote cabin east of McGrath. There were a lot of black bears in the area, he said. One day Sullivan was heading back to the cabin to sharpen a chain saw when he saw a bear trying to break in. “I noticed a big black fuzzy thing halfway through the door,” he said. Sullivan pulled out a pistol and shot the six-foot tall bear. (He says he reported the killing to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.) Later he and a friend skinned the animal and stored the meat in freezer bags in the river to keep it cold. For dinner he cooked some of the meat in a skillet with butter, pepper and garlic salt. He ate the bear with peas and rice, sitting on the porch of a cabin with a view of the nearby Trimokish Hills.

Bear steak.

Looking back, Sullivan says the meat seemed to be cooked to “something a little more than medium rare.” “It obviously wasn’t enough,” he said. That became clear six weeks later, when he started noticing uncharacteristic soreness in his legs and back. Next came an upset stomach, flu-like symptoms and a high fever. He became sensitive to sound. His eyes hurt. Then his wife found him in the bathtub in the middle of the night in the midst of a fever hallucination about snowmachine repair. “I kept saying, ‘I’m trying to figure this out, I almost got it figured out,'” he says. His wife had already figured out that it was time for Sullivan to get to a hospital.

At first, doctors thought he might have meningitis. But then they started down a “strange line of questioning,” he remembers: Had he gone hunting recently? Had he shot any bears? Had he eaten them? A diagnosis soon followed: Trichinosis. It’s caused by eating raw or undercooked meat infected with the larvae of a worm called Trichinella, which reproduces and eventually travels through arteries to become cysts in muscle tissue. The disease, most associated with pork, can cause a litany of symptoms from aching joints to swelling of the face and eyes and in serious cases can be fatal. Worldwide, about 10,000 cases of trichinosis are recorded each year. In the United States, the number has dropped from 400 per year on average in the 1940s to 20 or fewer today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That drop can be attributed to better sanitary practices in the pork industry and improved public awareness of the risks of eating raw or undercooked meat, the CDC says. – For complete article see http://www.adn.com/2012/10/25/2672252/dinner-of-black-bear-leads-to.html

Hantavirus:

Canada:

Deer mouse. Courtesy U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Manitoba 10/26/12 winnipegsun.com: by Joyanne Pursaga – A Manitoban has died from complications of hantavirus infection for the first time in 12 years. The province says the middle-aged Winnipeg man was otherwise healthy when he passed away last week. His is the first such death in Manitoba since 2000. The virus is found in the urine, feces and saliva of infected deer mice. Manitoba Health is warning people about the rare but highly fatal air-borne hantavirus. – For complete article see http://www.winnipegsun.com/2012/10/26/winnipeg-man-dies-of-hantavirus

Mountain Lion Sightings:

Idaho 10/26/12 Ada County: Wildlife officials plan to set mountain lion traps on Saturday along the Boise River between the Glenwood Bridge and Eagle Road. More than 10 mountain lion sightings have been reported in the vicinity in the last three weeks ranging from Eagle, to Garden City, to east Boise. Last week, a dog was attacked. Officials say, while the traps are set, people out on the Greenbelt should keep pets on a leash. – See http://www.ktvb.com/news/Search-for-mountain-lion-ramps-up-around-Boise-175958521.html

Illinois 10/26/12 DuPage County: City officials confirm there have been 20 reports of coyote sightings in Wheaton as of October 10th, and there were 22 similar reports last month. A new interactive map has been published that allows residents to report exactly where they’ve seen coyotes. – See http://wheaton.patch.com/articles/coyotes-report-your-sightings-here

California 06/26/12 mydesert.com: by Denise Goolsby – Excerpts ”Two women have been bitten by coyotes in Sun City Palm Desert within the past week and a half, according to Riverside County Animal Services. In the most recent attack, Amy Williams, 69, was taking her daily walk about 4:30 a.m. Sunday when she felt something hit against the back of her leg. She turned around and standing behind her, in the dusky dark, was a coyote.” ” The other attack happened about 7 p.m. June 14. Another 69-year-old woman was bitten while she was pulling weeds from her flower bed, according to the community association’s website.” “U.S. Department of Agriculture staff trapped a coyote from the June 14 attack, according to John Welsh, spokesman for Riverside County Animal Services. The male coyote was shot and transported to a lab for testing. A California Fish & Game warden used a M14 Carbine rifle to shoot and kill a female coyote within the area where the victim was bitten Sunday. Initial tests indicate both coyotes are negative for rabies, said California Department of Fish & Game spokesman Andrew Hughan” – For complete article see http://www.mydesert.com/article/20120626/NEWS01/206260302/Sun-City-women-bitten-rare-coyote-attacks?odyssey=nav|head

Virginia 06/26/12 Suffolk: Mosquitoes in several areas of Suffolk have tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis, a disease that can be transmitted to horses and humans. The city’s Mosquito Control Division has found mosquitoes infected with the disease in the Lake Kennedy, Wonderland Forest, Dayle Acres, Bennett’s Harbor and Huntersville neighborhoods, as well as in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. – See http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/2012/06/26/eastern-equine-encephalitis-found-in-suffolk/

Florida 06/25/12 Jacksonville, Duval County: The first rabies alert of the year has been issued for the Greenland section of Mandarin, and remains in effect until Thursday, Sept. 20. The rabies alert area is bordered on the north by Columbia Park Drive at Columbia Park Drive West; on the south by Old St. Augustine Road at Interstate 95; on the west by Falbridge Court at I-95, and east by Greenland Chase Boulevard and Hazelmoor Court. The alert is the result of the discovery of a rabid fox in the area, and humans had been exposed to the animal, according to the Duval County Health Department. – See http://jacksonville.com/community/mandarin/2012-06-25/story/duval-countys-first-rabies-alert-centered-mandarin

Virginia 06/25/12 Newport News: Authorities are looking for the dog that bit a four-year-old girl in the face on Saturday. Animal Control officers say it happened at a yard sale on Scottland Terrace in the Riverside area. Investigators say the owner had two dogs on leashes but wasn’t holding the leash of the dog that attacked. They say the owner grabbed the dog, stated it was current on it rabies vaccination and left. The dog could be an Australian Cattle Dog or a Blue Heeler. If it’s not located, the child will have to go through a series of rabies shots. “We were asking her about it again, and she said ‘I want to stop talking about it because I’m scared’ and she said ‘I had a bad dream about it last night,'” said the child’s father Colin Christopher. Anyone has information on these dogs should call Animal Services at (757) 595-PETS or (757) 595-7387.

Michigan 02/29/12 minbcnews.com: The statewide ban on feral swine is scheduled to take effect on April 1, but Department of Natural Resources officials say the industry could still be saved if the legislature passes a law regulating the industry before then. Officials estimate there are about 35 sporting swine operations in the state–some are breeders, some are game ranches. The DNR says 10 of those operations are located in the U.P. (Upper Peninsula), but there could be more because until now, the industry has been unregulated without any reporting requirements.

So what exactly are feral swine? Some are wild boar and some are simply domestic pigs that escaped into the wild and interbred with the wild boar. Most are between 100 and 200 pounds, but some have weighed in at over 500 pounds. They’re considered an intelligent animal, good swimmers, and quick runners. The wild boar originated in Europe and Asia, and came to the United States, as best we can tell, in the late 19th century. They were brought here for sporting purposes. As many as four million feral swine (both the original boar and the pigs that have interbred with them) may now populate the U.S., but most are in the South, Texas in particular. The so-called razorback of Arkansas is a feral swine.

Michigan has an estimated 1500-3000 feral swine, most of them downstate. The DNR believes they may have been introduced into the state as recently as 15 years ago. They look different from the domestic pig. They have thick, bristly coats, longer legs, a narrow head and snout, and a distinctive, prominent ridge of hair on their spine (hence, the name razorback). Their meat is said to be tasty and they’re considered a good sporting breed. So what’s the problem? Why are they being banned in Michigan? “They can transmit disease to humans,” explains Debbie Munson Badini, a spokesperson for the Department of Natural Resources. “And that includes toxoplasmosis and trichinosis. They also damage our livestock, specifically pigs, with brucellosis, peudo-rabies and tuberculosis.” She points out that a local meat processor recently came down with bacterial meningitis after processing wild boar meat. And the damage, she says, goes beyond that. Feral swine tear up crops and trees. They can driver farmers crazy. So why not just ban the swine in the wild, but leave the gaming operations alone?

That could happen, Badini says, if the state legislature decides to act. The DNR, she emphasizes, isn’t out to destroy the businesses of breeders and ranchers. “It is a concern,” she says. “We’re not happy about that but we have to look at the bigger picture in our state. The damage is huge.” There’s the concern also that the swine at gaming ranches can escape. They’re known to be resourceful animals. Whether the legislature and the DNR can be just as resourceful in preserving an industry while ridding the state of a pest, remains to be seen.

Little yellowshouldered bat. Photo by Tobusaru. Wikimedia Commons.

Global 02/27/12 cdc.gov: News Release – A new influenza A virus discovered in fruit bats in Guatemala does not appear to present a current threat to humans, but should be studied as a potential source for human influenza, according to scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who worked with University of the Valley of Guatemala. The study was published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “This is the first time an influenza virus has been identified in bats, but in its current form the virus is not a human health issue,” said Dr. Suxiang Tong, team lead of the Pathogen Discovery Program in CDC’s Division of Viral Diseases and lead author of the study. “The study is important because the research has identified a new animal species that may act as a source of flu viruses.”

For the bat influenza virus to infect humans, it would need to obtain some genetic properties of human influenza viruses. This can occur in nature through a process called reassortment. Reassortment occurs when two or more influenza viruses infect a single host cell, which allows the viruses to swap genetic information. Reassortment is a complicated chain of events that can sometimes lead to the emergence of new influenza viruses in humans. Preliminary CDC research on the new virus suggests that its genes are compatible with human influenza viruses. “Fortunately, initial laboratory testing suggests the new virus would need to undergo significant changes to become capable of infecting and spreading easily among humans,” said Dr. Ruben Donis, chief of the Molecular Virology and Vaccines Branch in CDC’s Influenza Division and a study co–author. “A different animal – such as a pig, horse or dog –would need to be capable of being infected with both this new bat influenza virus and human influenza viruses for reassortment to occur.”

Dr. Ruben Donis

Bat influenza viruses are known only to infect little yellow–shouldered bats, which are common in Central and South America and are not native to the United States. CDC works with global disease experts to monitor influenza viruses that circulate in animals, which could affect humans. Previous pandemics of the 20th century, as well as the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, were caused by influenza viruses in animals that gained the ability to infect and spread easily in humans. For more information about CDC’s global disease detection and emergency response activities, please see www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/gdder/gdd/. Influenza related information, including influenza in animals, is available at www.cdc.gov/flu. To view the study, please visit www.cdc.gov/eid.

New Mexico 02/29/12 Carlsbad, Eddy County: The New Mexico Department of Health says 32 pet dogs from the Carlsbad area have been euthanized since December because they were exposed to known rabid animals and weren’t vaccinated against rabies. With the exception of puppies that were too young to be fully vaccinated, all of these deaths could have been prevented. Rabies vaccination of dogs and cats is mandated by state law. State health officials say that in addition to dogs, a number of livestock and at least one cat also have been euthanized due to rabies exposures. Eddy County is currently experiencing an animal rabies outbreak. Officials say 22 skunks, one dog, and one fox have tested positive for rabies in the Carlsbad area since December.

Georgia 10/21/11 afc.com: by David Ibata – State wildlife biologists say black bears like the one that made himself at home this summer in the northern Perimeter area could be finding suburban Atlanta a nice, cozy place to settle down. So far, there are anecdotal signs pointing to the beginnings of a year-around bear presence in the suburbs. “We’re seeing indicators that it’s happening here and there,” Adam Hammond, wildlife biologist for the state Department of Natural Resources, told the AJC in a phone interview. “Every piece of information we collect about bears points to the same thing, that their population has grown tremendously” in the North Georgia mountains, Hammond said — and with that comes pressure on younger animals to migrate south. One ursine in particular became a local celebrity, sighted by police and residents in August in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Johns Creek and unincorporated Fulton County near Roswell. Authorities speculated the bear had wandered in from the west, following the Chattahoochee River upstream. Eventually, they said, the animal would return to its home territory in the mountains. Maybe he did; sightings fell off after the first week in September. And maybe he didn’t.

DNR estimates that Georgia is home to at least 5,100 bears. About 4,000 live in North Georgia, up from roughly 1,200 four to five years ago, Hammond said. Researchers say the animals are expanding nationwide, and have shown up in such other areas as Birmingham and Tulsa, Okla. Locally, they’ve been sighted across the northern tier of suburbs, in such counties as Cobb, Cherokee, Fulton, DeKalb and Gwinnett. “If you’re somewhere around Canton or the north side of Atlanta, you’re more likely to have bears than the south side [of the region],” Hammond said. “But there’s really nowhere in the state where I would be surprised to see a bear.”

Why the boom in bruins? No one knows for certain, but it’s possibly because the animals aren’t as widely hunted as they once were. There was bear poaching, and many property owners considered the animals varmints and shot them whenever they encountered them, but both forms of killing have declined. The animals can be taken legally in Georgia during bear season, but legal hunting hasn’t kept pace. So, rapid population growth is putting pressure on young male bears. Kicked out of their dens in their second year by their mothers, and possibly pushed out of the North Georgia mountains by older dominant males, youngsters may be seeking new territory to the south. And to a bear, the Atlanta area is a big all-you-can-eat buffet of bird seed, pet food and garbage. “That’s one of the biggest problems with bears in metro area,” Hammond said. “If we get a bear in the mountains getting into someone’s trash … usually we can deal with it by getting residents to remove food sources.” “But in the metro area, with people and pets and houses and bird feeders, there’s just so much there, it’s just an endless supply of food.”

So how can people tell if there’s a bear out there taking up permanent residence? “This time of the year, if there are bears hanging out in the metro area, chances are they live there,” Hammond said. Another tip-off, he said, would be a known den site — none have been reported yet in the metro area — “or if people see sows (female bears) with cubs in the spring.” There has never been an unprovoked bear attack on a human in Georgia. But danger could arise if bears become accustomed to humans supplying them with food. “The best thing people can do is just basically allow the bear to remain wild,” Hammond said. “Don’t do anything to tame the bears. Don’t feed the bears on purpose. Don’t allow the bears to continually get into your garbage or bird feeders.” “Bears have an innate fear of people, but over time with food, they can lose that fear, and that’s not a good thing for the bear or for people. You just need to respect them and give them their space.”

Missouri 10/28/11 mo.gov: News Release – As part of its ongoing efforts to monitor free-ranging deer for chronic wasting disease (CWD), the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is asking hunters for help. Hunters who harvest adult deer in Linn, Macon and parts of Adair, Chariton, Randolph and Sullivan counties during the early youth portion and first two weekends of the November firearms portion are being asked to take their deer to the a roadside collection site for tissue sampling. For dates and locations see http://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-needs-hunter-help-cwd-sampling-harvested-deer

Jerry Genesio

Author of "UNSEEN HAZARDS That Threaten Hunters, Campers, and Hikers: What you should know about pathogens commonly found in wildlife."

This is where wildlife and healthcare professionals, hunters, campers, hikers, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts will find interesting information about natural unseen hazards that place them at risk. As my book focused exclusively on Rabies, Tetanus (Lockjaw), Tularemia (Rabbit Fever), Brucellosis (Undulant Fever), Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Borrelia (Lyme Disease), posts regarding these six diseases will be limited to more recent developments and items of interest that were not included or were not available when the book was published in June of 2009. Topics will also include Chronic Wasting Disease, West Nile Virus, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, and other diseases of particular interest to those who work and play in the great American outdoors.

Don’t Be Afraid – Be Aware!

The Natural Unseen Hazards blog is available to all free of charge and is maintained as a public service.

If you have questions related to pathogens commonly found in wildlife, e.g. the disease caused by a specific pathogen, hosts, vectors, symptoms, treatment, territorial range, etc., please comment here or e-mail to jerrygenesio@gmail.com and I will attempt to provide answers.

"Chance favors the prepared mind."
Louis Pasteur

Unless otherwise noted, images have been provided by the CDC Public Health Image Library, Wikimedia Commons, the National Park Service or other government agencies, Bing.com, and/or Google.com.

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."
Marie Curie

"It's better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret."
Jackie Joyner Kersee